Embodiments of the present invention relate to decorative light strings, and more particularly, connectable and synchronizable decorative light strings.
Decorative light strings are commonly used to produce visual effects at homes and in business locations around the holiday seasons. A light string that is bright and rich in flashing patterns will often strongly improve the holiday spirit of all who see it. Because light strings are limited in length, they are commonly connected together in series end-to-end when more decorating length is needed. Combining more strings together not only makes decorating easier, but it also makes decorating less expensive and time consuming since fewer electrical outlets and/or extension cords are required. When flashing or other patterns are desired, the light strings with controllers are required. However, when multiple light strings, with controllers, are connected in series, there will be a synchronization problem between the light strings, even when the same flashing pattern is used for each light string. The controllers simply have no feature which permits close synchronization between the light strings. Even powering the light strings simultaneously does not guarantee synchronization.
Other types of light strings allow the end user to change the pattern either with a remote control, or even have the lights flash to the beat of music. However, even with these types of light strings, when several are connected in series, the flashing patterns of the light strings are not actively synchronized, other than by happenstance, due to slight differences in the reference clock frequency at the controller of each light string. With more light strings used in a single space, regardless of whether they are connected together in series, the differences in reference clock frequencies will be exacerbated.
This synchronization problem is exacerbated when the flashing pattern is changed, because the user must go to the controller of each separate light string to change the settings individually, one at a time. Of course, when many different light strings are chained together in series, changing the settings of every single controller presents its own set of difficulties.
Series connected circuits containing lighting sources are well known especially in lighting strings and flexible lighting (Rope Lights) around the holidays when such light strings are used for decorative purposes. Typically, the lights in these lighting circuits are electrically in series rather than in parallel. One particular drawback to these types of lighting circuits is that when a lighting source is removed from the circuit, is burnt out, defective, or has a loose connection, the entire lighting circuit is rendered inoperable. Also, these typical light strings are run on 120 V AC power, which is wildly inefficient with respect to energy.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a light string having parallel connected light emitting elements that can be powered by low voltage DC power and allowing for the connection and synchronization of other light strings.